Best of You
by Co-Quill-Eon
Summary: She belongs to him. Plain and simple. And if she ever thought that getting away from him would be that easy, she certainly has another thing coming.
1. Keep My Lovers True

_A/N: I am obsessed with Draco/Hermione fics, so I decided to take a crack at it myself. I won't be having many of these Author's Notes, mainly because I don't fancy them that much, but yes, I did get the title from one of my favorite songs Best of You by the Foo Fighters. Hope you enjoy reading._

It was through the gray, almost black, rain covered window that their eyes locked and fear surged through her veins like molten ice. She should have known that not even a Muggle London coffee shop would be out of bounds for them. These people, though aiming to be discrete, would not hesitate to attack in the middle of the street in the middle of the day.

The man on the other side of the window did not move as he continued to stare into her eyes. She didn't recognize him but she knew who he was. He was with _them_. Her hands gripped the coffee mug in front of her, and unblinking, began to formulate an escape route.

There had to be more around. They wouldn't just send one. There might even be one sitting somewhere in this place watching her, making sure her hand didn't stray towards the pocket of her black houndstooth coat where her wand lay. _Best not to make a scene. Maybe go to the bathroom_, but even as she thought this, she knew it wouldn't work. If they allowed her to even make it that far, one would be there already, waiting behind the door.

They wouldn't act until she was out of eye range of the passerby, she thought. She was sure..almost. She needed to get out of the establishment altogether. She did not want innocent muggles getting hurt, or worse, dying because she decided to make a move in the shop.

Hands shaking, she ripped her eyes away from the stranger across the street, and signaled over to the waitress to bring her check. The young woman watched as Hermione dug into her pocket and pulled out a twenty pound note. Her brow furrowed. "Was everything alright, miss?"

Hermione, only half paying attention, nodded slowly and mumbled distractedly, "Yes, fine. Keep the change". She slid out from the booth before the waitress could reply, shoved her hands into her pockets and walked slowly towards the shop door.

She felt the stranger's eyes, burning into her. Her hand gripped the handle and she squeezed her eyes tightly, briefly. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she pulled and a blast of cold air hit her face. The tinkle of the bell above the door signaling her exit seemed so far away.

She stood in front of the door, rain quickly weighing her down, hands still in her pockets, the right gripping her wand. Her eyes locked with the man's again but briefly this time. She needed to walk. She wanted to Apparate but wasn't stupid. That would be too easy. No doubt there was an Anti-Apparition charm within a ten block radius and Hermione doubted she would even get that far.

She turned left and began her slow pace to God knows where. She was surrounded, she could feel it. She couldn't run back home. They would be-

_Home. _

Hermione's heart pounded even more frantically against her ribs. _Ginny_. Ginny was probably on her way home, if she wasn't there already. She had to warn her. Her and Harry and Ron and Luna.

A quick movement out the corner of her eye seemed to be her trigger.

She burst into a run, the cold air immediately making her eyes water along with the actual rain, obscuring her vision, but it was not enough to hide the fact that all around her, there were more quick movements. Her strained ears heard someone behind her, their feet pounding the pavement in pursuit. As she rounded a corner, she pulled her wand from her pocket and aimed a silent stupefying spell over her shoulder. She dodged a streak of white light as she hopped over a fallen rubbish bin. Another blur along her right side made her aim her wand towards it and another blast of red light emitted from her. That person fell, but she could still hear the man behind her still going strong.

Puddles of water splashed up all around her as she ran, lungs pierced by the November gust and the rain was coming down harder. A faint rumble of thunder sounded. She was panting, but refused to slow down. She had to warn them. Closing her eyes, her mind was full of thoughts with getting away, even though deep down inside she knew she wasn't going to. There were too many. She focused instead on the safety of her friends, the image providing enough happiness for her to conjure up a Patronus. _Leave. Run. Go to the safe house. They found me. They found us. Run. _She repeated the phrase over and over again as four pearly white otters burst from the tip of her wand. She opened her eyes in relief as she heard a cry of fury a few blocks behind her. They knew that she had warned them.

She felt relief as she opened her eyes again. They would be safe.

But the relief was short lived as she felt arms wrap around her waist in a vice like grip, pulling her from mid run into a dark ally.

Pain erupted through her body as she was shoved roughly against the wall. Her head crashed into the bricks and she saw stars. A freezing hand closed around her throat and her eyes watered.

Before she could get her thoughts together, lips brushed against her ear, the cool breath sending shivers down her spine. "Where is he?"

Her blood froze in its veins. She knew that voice. _Why is he here?_ Even before the question was properly formed in her pain riddled mind she knew the answer.

The hand tightened on her throat. "Answer me", he breathed, nibbling on her ear. Memories of this same exact thing happening so many times before flooded her along with panic.

Hermione gasped for air, her own hands trying to claw his from her neck. He chuckled softly and gripped her even tighter, bashing her head once more against the wall. Her wand fell from her hand and clattered onto the wet concrete. A cry of pain escaped her lips and tears began to fall down her face. She could feel a warm sensation pooling on the back of her head, and felt the blood drip slowly down her neck.

The man pulled back and nuzzled his nose against her wet cheek, as if the smell of her pain was an elixir. His hand loosened slightly. "Tell me", he said again, so softly she almost didn't hear him over the rumble of the thunder in the distance. "Tell me where they are". Hermione shook her head and his hand tightened again. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt his lips graze across her face, tasting her tears on his lips. As he licked them, eyes closed savoring the saltiness, she opened her own to watch him. She couldn't breathe. He was squeezing harder and harder. With a grim smile, he opened his eyes and, for the first time, stared into hers. They matched the scene, dark and a stormy gray and ice cold. His silvery hair was matted to his head, a few strands falling into his face. His expression was full of a sick enjoyment as he squeezed his hand even tighter around her slender throat.

"Please..." The words were barely whispered. The blackness was closing in around Hermione. She tried to struggle but it was no use. This was the end for her. She took in as deep a breath as she could but it was fruitless. As she lost consciousness, the name "Draco" fell from her lips.

Having gone limp in his hand, Draco stepped back, loosened his grip fully and watched her collapse to the ground. As he looked down at her still body, the sadistic expression slipped slowly from his face and was replaced with an odd sort of sadness. Gazing down at her, one arm across her chest, the other inches from her wand, and her wet hair fanned around her pale face, he thought, not for the first time that she looked like an angel.

He sat on his haunches to gather up her wand, allowing his hand to stroke hers. It was so soft. His touch moved up to her face. He traced the bridge of her nose, her eyebrows, her lips, fingers gently caressing the new black and blue marks upon her throat....

He sighed. "It could have ended so much differently..."

He stood up, and looking down at her once again, raised his wand into the air, emitting a shower of green sparks. He waited until he heard the pounding of feet and upset puddles before Apparating away, the sound masked by the loud clap of thunder.

_A/N: One shot or no? I have the plot in my head..... Review and tell me what you think. :)_


	2. The Way We Were

_**A/N: Forgot to put a disclaimer in the first chapter. SO, I'm gonna put one here and let it be a blanket statement for the rest of this story. I don't own Harry Potter. Iknowright! Shocker! But alas, I don't have more money than the Queen of England which automatically makes me not J.K Rowling. Don't believe me? Go ask Hernando Fernandez over at Chase Bank. HE'LL let you know I'm broke :[**_

_Hermione had the door almost halfway open before a hand behind her reached forward to slam it shut."Don't leave". It wasn't a plea, but an order. The hand stayed on the door, its longer fingers flexing in anger and irritation. Hermione studied those hands. Pale, smooth skin, that you expected to be ice cold , but were warm like any other humans'. Long, slender, elegant fingers, with short, perfectly clean nails. Those fingers....that hand that could bring her so much satisfaction. That hand that most of the time chose to do damage....do so much damage to her._

_Her back straightened at this thought, and said slowly, in a carefully calm voice, "I just need some time to myself to think, Draco."_

_The hand flexed again, and Hermione was glad that her back was to him so he wouldn't bare witness to the reflexive flinch. "Give you time to think about how you want to leave me?", he said angrily. Hermione didn't answer. She couldn't answer. Anything that would come from her mouth would be a lie, only to pacify him. And he could tell the difference now, between when she told the truth and when she lied. In retrospect, silence was just as damning as the truth, but Hermione's throat was so tight the former was just easier. _

_She jumped slightly as Draco's other hand came up to gently sweep her long brown hair to the side to expose her neck. He let his fingers stroke the delicate curve before replacing them with his lips. "You can't leave", his words were like feathers against her skin, his lips caressing. Almost like a lover's. But he wasn't her lover. He couldn't love anyone. It was beyond his scope of emotions. Shivers ran down Hermione's spine at his soft touch. Not because it felt so good, but because she was terrified. There were only a few times these kinds of touches didn't end in blows. She swallowed hard as he whispered, "You are mine, Hermione. Forever. You cannot leave". _

_She didn't know she was crying until the hot tears were rolling down her face. "Draco, please...."_

_It all happened so fast. Suddenly his lips were gone along with it's soft touch. Her back was flat against the heavy wood door, a shooting pain in her shoulder where he had shoved her. Her cry of pain was small, the tightness of her throat still prohibiting much sound. _

_Draco's face was inches from her own and both hands were on the door behind her, boxing her in. "Please what? Are you _asking _me to _allow_ you to run off like a whore? Are you _asking_ me to _allow_ you to run to him-"_

_Hermione swallowed hard, her mind scrambling to remedy the situation before it got too bad, thoughts of leaving far from her mind now. Her only concern was to get through the next few minutes alive. "N-no! Draco, no, I'm not going to anyone-"_

_She jumped as he slammed one of his hands against the door, right next to her face. "Don't lie to me", he snarled. His eyes were narrow and cruel. _

"_I'm not-"_

_He slammed both hands against the door and yelled, "Don't lie to me!" Hermione was trembling now. "Why are you always lying to me? It's as if you want this to happen", he spoke this more to himself than her. "Is this what you want?". He raised his hand to slam her already hurt shoulder into the door again. "Is it?!", he yelled over her pained whimper. _

_Her bottom lip shook as she tried to hold back a sob. How did she get here? How was this her life?_

"_Why do you make me do this?" He spoke softly now, his voice almost pleading. "I give you everything you could possibly want, I take you out, I love you-"_

"_This isn't love!" Hermione screamed, surprising both herself and Draco, but she couldn't stop now. "This isn't love, what you are doing to me right now-"_

"_You make me do this!", he roared slamming his hand against the door again in apparent frustration. _

"_And yeah, you take me out. You make me cover the bruises first with glamours-", something shifted in Draco's eyes, but Hermione was too focused on the words falling from her mouth to notice it, and it was gone with the next words she spoke, "-to make me smile in the faces of the same women you're fucking-" _

_Her words were cut off by a sharp slap against her cheek. She felt as if her jaw had been dislocated. The steely look was back in his eyes as he pushed himself away from the door and walked a few steps away from her. "I have never cheated on you", he said calmly as he fixed his cufflinks absentmindedly. "If this is what this fight is about, your insecurities, you could have just come and talk to me". Hermione's eyes were watering so badly that she could barely make out his form, which had its back to her. Her eyes closed as she slumped down the door, feeling her face swell. This was going to be a big bruise. Bigger than most. It could only have been worse if he had punched her again. _

_She listened as he fixed himself a drink in the parlor and walked back out to look at her slumped, crying, form. "I love you" he said. "I would never cheat on you." She heard his footsteps nearing and instinctively shied away from him. She felt his warm kiss on her head, and could smell the brandy in his glass. "I promise", he whispered against her hair. He stayed on his haunches for a few moments, stroking her hair, lips moving to her forehead. An occasional "I love you" or "I don't like doing this to you" was murmured against her skin. _

_Soon he rose up again, and straightened his clothes. "Dessy", he called, and a house elf appeared. "Take my fiance up to our room and fix her up as best you can". The trembling house elf nodded, and walked over quickly to Hermione's broken body. Draco watched as they disappeared and continued to stare at the same blank expanse of door long after they were gone._

-----------------------------------------

Hermione was awake. But if anyone saw her, they wouldn't have known. She had had to feign slumber enough times to perfect it.

She awoke gradually, but kept her breathing steady. She allowed her eyelids to flicker, avoiding the common mistake most people make, which is to stay absolutely still. If there was anybody in the room, they would feel the change in her body tension. She kept her limbs relaxed, even though she wanted nothing more than to cradle her throbbing head in her hands. The bleeding had been stopped, but the excruciating pain remained.

Body still controlled, she took in her surroundings. She was on her back, it wasn't too dark, she could see a dim orange light behind her eyes. And there was warmth. She must be near a fire, not too close or the heat would have been too much for her already. The floor was hard, but not rough. _I would have thought they would have thrown me in a dungeon first thing_, she thought. No, this place wasn't cold, hard, rough stone. No...this place...was carpeted?

She wanted to stroke the fibers to make sure, but didn't want to risk it if there was someone else in the room with her. She focused again, trying to detect another presence. It took a few moments for her to feel that, indeed, there was someone else. She could hear slight movements a bit away. _It only feels like one, maybe two...._

Hermione knew there was no way in hell she would still have her wand. How would she get away? Well, she couldn't be sure until she knew where she was. _I guess I'll have to open my- _The faint smell of alcohol drifted her way. As if someone had just poured some into a glass. _I'm not surprised. They left me with a drunk to manhandle me into talking. Classic, that one is. _She allowed a slight movement in her limbs to feel if there were any magical constraints. _None. Good. That'll make it a little easier at first.... _

The sound of footsteps coming closer to her body made her want to freeze, but she knew she couldn't. She didn't want them to know she was awake yet. With the footsteps came the stronger scent of the alcohol. But it wasn't overwhelming. It was a soothing, smooth smell. _So he's not drenched in it, good._ She breathed in. It didn't smell like firewhisky. _Wait._ She knew that smell...

Her heart froze as the footsteps stopped, right beside her. Panic fused with her nerve endings, but she still didn't alter her systematic breathing, even though her lungs begged for more air to prepare her for the flight or fight.

_No, no, please. Not him. Anyone else to gather information, please not him-_

She felt fingers on her face. Callused fingers that still managed to be smooth and soft. She knew those fingers. She'd yielded to those fingers enough times to know them without seeing their owners. Her eyes snapped open and she stared into dark grey eyes, once again.

"Ah', Draco breathed, a small content smile on his face, "you are finally awake".

_**A/N: Good, bad, absolutely horrid?! Let me know in a review :)**_


	3. Lexington

_**A/N: The title of this chapter is taken from the song Lexington by Chiodos. Go listen to the song/read the lyrics and it will make sense. Promise. :)**_

_Run_.

That was her first instinct, and by God, she wasn't going to ignore it. Hermione finally moved her limbs. She pushed Draco, who was still hovering over her. She heard the thud as he fell back onto the floor heavily, surprised as he was. She heard shattering glass (the tumbler must have flew out of his hand) as she scrambled wildly to her feet.

She staggered from the shooting pain in her head, but ignored it. She had to get away. She just had to.

Draco straightened up soon enough to see Hermione dash out of the door he had purposely left ajar. He knew she would flee as soon as her eyes opened. He waited a few short seconds, taking his time to stand up and right himself. His wet cloak was already off, thrown over the high back of a chair. He took a deep, energizing breath, turned his neck from side to side to crack the bones, and strode towards the door, loosening his tie as he went. He loved the chase.

Panic was surging through Hermione's veins. Pure, sheer, panic. In the faint recesses of her mind she knew she wasnt going to get out of here. Even if her feet took her to the door, the wards would keep her in here. But she didn't stop, and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she knew that every step she took, the more angry he would get, and she didn't want to face that anger. So she ran. The vicious cycle would continue until-

_Until he catches me._

Simoultaneous with this thought came the sound of another set of fast approaching footsteps. He was getting close. Another burst of terror shot through her, and her feet barely touched the ground as she picked up speed, turing left.

_Wow_, he couldn't help thinking, _she has gotten a lot faster..... but not fast enough._ Truth was, Draco could have stopped her easily. But he was enjoying this too much. He could almost taste the fear she left in her wake. And she should have been scared. She had picked the losing side in a fight that neither of them didn't even have to be involved in. She had left Draco, left Draco for _him_, and now, Draco was what he was. _It was all her fault_.

These words brought on a surge of anger and he ran full out, quickly closing the distance between them.

Hermione felt his arms wrap around her body, pinning her arms to her side. She struggled wildy, feet kicking in the air as he lifted her off the ground. She kicked so hard that he was forced back into a wall. She felt his grunt against her chest. He squeezed her particularly hard and pain englufed her as she felt the pressure on her ribs increase.

She stopped kicking, struggling for breath. Just like before, all those years ago, he was always forcing the life out of her.

He was panting, and with his grip still tight, back against the wall he whispered, almost playfully in her ear, "Going somewhere?" The words were forced between heavy breaths. "We both see how that worked out in the end". He laughed at his own joke and Hermione took this oppurtunity to wrench her left arm free from his embrace. She bent it at the crook and jabbed back, sharply. His cry of pain echoed in the empty hallway, as he dropped her to cradle his bleeding nose.

She started to run again. _Why, Hermione. Just stop. You'll never get out this way, just give up-_

_No_.

That thought was rammed abruptly from her mind by this one word.

She would never give up, show weakness around this man. This monster. Her hair whipped back as she ran, not sure where she was going, but knowing that she could never really leave.

Draco let out a yell of fury as Hermione got loose again and took off running. Through his tears of pain he saw her long auburn hair whip out of sight as she turned right. _Fucking bitch_. He was done playing. He ignored the throbbing of his, most likely broken, nose and took off. She wanted to play rough, well, he could most certainly do that. He would have been happy to have sat down with her, maybe over a glass of brandy, wine for her because he knew it was the only alcohol she would drink, and talk calmly about the whereabouts of a certain man. They could have handled this in a civilized manner, but no. She insited on fighting back. Just like before, she was forcing him to hurt her.

He caught up to her quickly, his hand reaching out and grabbing onto her hair, quickly twisting his fist so the air wrapped around part of his arm. He heard her cry out in pain. He slammed her into the wall and watched the tears stream down her face as she took in his bloodied, angry appearance. The fear was apparent in her eyes. His heart thumped unpleasantly for a moment; he didn't _want_ her to be afraid of him. If only she would just fucking _listen_. He placed the arm that wasn't wrapped in her hair horizontally against her throat and pressed. He heard a gurgle. He took a few deep breaths, to calm himself. Draco knew that if he let his anger overwhelm him, he would kill her, gathering information be damned. He would keep pressing until her body went limp permanently.

_ And then she would never disobey you again. And she could never go back to him again_.

He blinked hard, dispelling these words. No. He could convince her to stay. He could help her live up to her potential. He wouldn't kill her. _Not just yet._

His arm eased up and Hermione took a gulp of air. She watched as whatever he was thinking flit across his face; anger, sadness, guilt, confliction, resignation of some kind. His blood was bright red on his face, a stark contrast of his pale skin. "Now," he said carefully, as if trying to control himself, "are we going to talk, like civilized human beings or", the arm in her hair twisted painfully and Hermione resited the urge to cry out, "am I going to have to...force you?"

She said nothing, just stared into those slightly crazy eyes. Where had the man she was once in love with gone? That man, who had looked at her with nothing but warmth and affection. That man who would cup her face and tell her a million times over that he loved her and would never hurt her. Looking up into those eyes, the ones in front of her now, showed that that man was long gone. Replaced with a monster that was barely kept in check.

His arm pressed down hard on her neck again. "Answer me!", he yelled.

She gasped, and tried to swallow. "T-talk", she manged to choke out.

Draco looked at her a few moments before slowly easing the pressure against her throat. "Good.....good girl". Maybe she _was_ learning.

_**A/N: I know I said I wasn't gonna have many of these Author's Notes, but it occurred to me that I like talking to you guys :) I just want to thank those of you who have taken the time to review and set alerts. 803 hits in less than two days! I am beyond grateful! I know that this chapter is kind of short, but I promise the next one will be longer (I've already got it started). Anyhoodles, please continue to rate and review loves. **_


	4. Remember

_**A/N: Hey guys! Back with a new chapter, but first, here are some answers to reviews. :)**_

_**sarahr85: nope! She left cause he was beating the living daylights out of her. But you have something there. All in due time :)**_

_**krutumus. nemirst: p**__**eople who have the same mindset as Draco does in this story rarely ever change. It's the sad truth. :( I'll take this opportunity to tell everyone who reads this story that this more than likely won't have a Cinderella happy ending, frankly because life just doesn't work out that way. And I am a realist :) shwang!**_

_**Sasha: Yay! Well, not to you crying, cause tears suck, but because I did something good ! Not that making you cry makes me happy, I just mean...er....well....um, I am just buggering this up aren't I? What I mean to say is...thanks for reviewing :D **_

_**Now enjoy =]**_

"_Open your eyes". Before he had even whispered these three words into her hair, Hermione knew that they were somewhere completely different. Not only by the obvious feeling of apparition after Draco had covered her eyes outside the Manor gates, but by the lush grass she felt beneath her feet and the fresh, clean, sweet smelling air that played across her skin. _

_She took a deep breath after Draco removed his hands from her face and opened her eyes. The sight before her took her breath away. They were, it would seem, on a hilltop. Below them lay a city busy, but silent from where they stood. Further beyond were the outlines of other massive grassy hills like the one they were standing on. But it was the sky that made Hermione almost want to cry out at the beauty of it. Pink and orange mingled with the dark blue of a quickly approaching night. Deep red and yellow from the setting sun fanned out from the center and peaked through the hazy clouds scattered about this picture perfect image. _

_The wind stirred something at Hermione's ankles and she looked down quickly. It was a tiny little white flower, the petals as small as her pinky nail. Looking around she noticed that there were quite a few of them, swaying to and fro. _

_She tore her eyes from the amazing setting to find Draco watching her, a slightly apprehensive look on a face that was usually smooth and impassive. Breathless, she took a step forward and said quietly, "Draco...what's going on?", she looked around again, a wide smile on her face. "Where are we?"_

"_Spain", Draco said, preferring to answer the latter than the former. His heart was pounding in his chest. She looked so beautiful. Her full auburn curls danced in the light wind and her face was alight with joy, the shadows cast by the setting sun complementing her features to the upmost. . His mouth felt suddenly dry. He swallowed hard and ran his fingers through his hair. She was peering at him, now. "Draco...", her voice was soft, but unworried. _

_Hermione watched as he ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit she found utterly adorable. After she said his name, he took a deep breath and began to speak._

"_Hermione...." another deep breath. "Hermione...I.... You". He expelled a quick burst of air through his nose and ran his fingers through his hair again as Hermione watched, slightly amused. "This isn't going the way I planned" he murmured to himself. And it was true, it wasn't. Draco had practiced this speech over a million times, in the shower, brushing his teeth, in his head before bed, watching her as she made breakfast, during boring business proposals from greens who knew nothing about anything, for the past two weeks. And now, dammit, nothing was going the way it should. He was tripping over his words. _

_He took another deep breath and started again._

"_Hermione....I love you. You gave me a chance. More than a few, more than I deserve. I know we weren't the best of friends when we were younger", Hermione snorted slightly at this and he too gave a small smile, "but you forgave me for all the horrible, out of line things I said to you, about who you are, about your blood....." He seemed to lose his train of thought at that, instead, opting to gaze deep into her golden brown eyes. Her step forward seemed to remind him to keep talking. "When I saw you again, I knew.... I knew that I had been wrong. Well, I knew I was wrong even before then, but seeing you enforced that." He was rambling now. He cleared his throat and stepped closer to Hermione. They were only an arms length away from each other now. "But another thing I knew when I saw you again was that I knew I had to have you. And not for just a one night like all the other women. Not for just a day or one week. But for forever. And you let me have you", he stepped closer still, "you let me have all of you, and I can't begin to express how important, how awe inspiring that is. You are brilliant, and stunning, and adorable, and sexy, and honest, and loyal, and kind. So kind...."_

_Draco stepped closer. They were close enough to touch now, chests grazing the others'. Hermione had stayed quiet the whole time. Not only because she felt that interrupting would make Draco loose his nerve, but also because her throat was constricted. Unshed tears made her eyes shine. She closed her eyes as Draco's hand came up to cup her face, first tucking a hair behind her ear. The pad of his thumb caressed her cheek. _

"_You saw through me. You saw me hurting and you are the only one who took the time to help. You", he stopped now, his own throat tight and was horrified to feel tears prickling behind his own eyes. He cleared his throat to no avail. "You were the first woman to love me. Not my money or my name or my reputation. You loved me. And I'll never forget it." He swallowed hard and took the hand that wasn't on Hermione's face and plunged it into his pants pocket. _

_Hermione opened her eyes as Draco pulled out a burgundy velvet ring box. The sob she had been holding in since halfway through his speech broke through her lips as she stared at his trembling hand. "What I'm trying to say", he whispered voice husky, placing his palm on the nape of her neck and pulling slightly so that their foreheads were touching, "what I'm trying to ask you is", he flipped the lid of the box open with his thumb and Hermione gave a small gasp. In the darkness after the sunset, a large glittering sapphire surrounded with clear miniscule diamonds sat on in a platinum ring. "Hermione.....will you marry me?"_

_Unable to speak at first, tears streaming freely down her face now, Hermione nodded. Her whole body was shaking as she brought one hand up to cover her mouth. "Yes", she cried. She tried to get a hold of herself, and cleared her throat. She beamed and said in a semi-steady voice looking directly into his light gray eyes, "yes, I will marry you. Of course I will marry you!" _

_Draco, relief and happiness coursing through his body, beamed. He took his hand from around her neck and used it to remove the ring from the velvet box. Both hands shaking, he took her left hand and, hardly believing that this moment was finally coming to pass, slowly slipped it on her finger. _

_As soon as it was on, Hermione gave a squeal of delight and jumped into his arms. He caught her, and with a whoop of happiness himself, spun her around, hugging her fiercely. "I love you so much" she whispered into his hair. _

_He squeezed her tighter. "I love you too." His voice was thick with emotion. "I'm never going to let you go"._

The sound of the crackling fire meshed with the clicking of an unseen clock. Draco, face repaired by a house elf, was now blood free and sipping a brandy. He sat relaxed, allowing the velvet burgundy cushions to relax him. Across from him, Hermione sat, ramrod straight, hands in her lap. The wine he had offered her remained untouched on the mahogany table between them. He noted this with slight irritation. He'd gone out of his way to make sure that he had her favorite ready for her when she returned and the little chit couldn't be bothered to show gratitude. But now was not the time to argue. No, now was time to ask questions.

Hermione fidgeted in her seat under Draco's gaze. Even though she was staring blindly into the fire, she could feel his eyes on her. Despite her straight backed stance, Hermione was exhausted. The fatigue was not only deep in her bones but in her mind. She had quite quickly, and quite uncharacteristic to her person, silently admitted defeat to herself. Usually she would be fighting still. Trying to find out a solution to her problem, no matter what it be. In Hermione Granger's mind, figuring out an Arithmetic equation and trying to escape an insane ex fiance that has got you locked in his mansion were both just problems that needed solutions. The difficulties varied immensely, but they both had solutions. And Hermione Granger was good at finding solutions.

But now, as she sat on this couch, back straight, unseeing, she wanted to collapse. Her body was aching, sharp circuits of pain going off at random times at random times. She wanted to curl in a ball right near the fire and sleep....

Something in the back of Hermione's mind snapped and her brain reprimanded her. _Don't you dare. Don't you dare fall back into the pattern just because you are back here. _She shook her head slightly. Her brain was right. When she had lived with Draco this is how things were handled. He would beat her, he'd have Dessy clean her up best as she could, she, herself, would mend the rest in the warm bath that she was too numb to feel, lay in bed, ignore her situation, fall asleep, and in the morning it was like nothing had ever happened. The only reminders being a particularly tender spot the pain potion couldn't fully heal overnight and purple Hyacinths and Jonquils on her bed stand, usually accompanied by an expensive piece of jewelry or opera tickets.

But Hermione couldn't do that again. No complacency this time. She would stay as strong as she could for as long as humanly possible. She stopped fidgeting and turned her head to look Draco full in the eyes. "You wanted to ask questions? Then ask them". She wanted to add '_and then let me leave' _but she knew it would be fruitless and probably garner laughter from him. Laughter that would grate on her nerves and make her want to lunge at his throat and she thought it best to have no more fighting tonight. Physically at least.

Draco swirled his brandy and took a sip. He set it down on the table and leaned back in his seat. "Yes, I do indeed have questions". He looked at her for a minute, eyes catching on the dark bruises on her neck and now that her coat was off, arms. He was sure there were more that he couldn't see. More that he had caused. He frowned and asked softly, "How are you?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she snorted her shock and slight disbelief. "I'm fucking fantastic. Thanks for asking. Next." She couldn't believe this monster was pretending he cared for her well being at all. _He_ was the one who had done this! He was _always _the one who did this. But she shouldn't have been surprised. This was what he did. He inflicted the pain and then tried to take it away. She recalled how her therapist had explained it. It was a maneuver he used to make sure he could control her actions. Before, he had made sure she was terrified to tell anyone about what was happening to her or to go to ST. Mungos, and therefore to get relief from the pain she had to go to him. And only him. He was the only one who was allowed to tell the house elves to clean her up and make most of her pain go away. He had instilled in her a dependency. A dependency she had tried too long and too hard to break and by all that was holy, she was not going to allow him to play this game again.

Draco schooled his features back into an impassive state even though his heart felt like it was breaking. She used to talk to him, tell him what was wrong, and let him help her. Now she sat there, stony faced and cold, like he didn't matter. Like she didn't need him at all anymore. _That's because she doesn't. _He roughly shoved his traitorous inner voice aside. He slipped back into his characteristic drawl cutting to the chase. "Alright then. Where is Potter?"

Hermione shrugged. "No idea". And she was telling the truth. She didn't know if he had gotten her Patronus. If any of them had gotten them actually, or if some of them had been captured like her. She was almost certain Harry was safe, for if he wasn't Draco wouldn't be asking her where he was. _Or he might. He would use any reason to keep you here. _

Too right.

"Don't lie. You know how I feel about-"

"I don't care about what you feel about anything, Malfoy. And I'm not lying". She said these words quietly, but they still pierced his heart. He stayed quiet for a moment.

"You must have known we were coming", Draco said, with a slight sneer. "You and your buddies seemed awfully prepared".

"Of course we were", she snapped. "We weren't stupid enough to think that all because Voldemort was gone so was the threat. We knew that the bottom feeders like you were still plotting. I would question how you all didn't know that we knew, but that would imply that I think you lot intelligent."

"You know nothing", Draco snarled, his anger building quickly.

"I know enough. I know why YOU are doing this. You-"

"Shut up!" He stood up quickly and so did Hermione.

"Harry isn't the reason I left Draco!" she was shouting now. She felt as if she were free falling into this conversation. She didn't want to discuss this with him now. Not ever. But the words were falling from her mouth and there was nothing she could do to stop it. "I left because of how you were treating me! Because of how much you had changed-"

"I wasn't the one who changed-"

"Oh yes," Hermione gave a shout of mirthless laughter. "I was the one who was beating the HELL OUT OF YOU EVERY DAMN DAY FOR NO REASON-"

"YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN" he roared. "YOU WOULDN'T DO AS YOU WERE TOLD. YOU MADE ME PUNISH YOU"

"I'm not a dog, Draco!", Hermione's voice was shrill. "I'm not some pet or house elf you can order around !"

"It was for your own good! You were going to be a Malfoy, I couldn't have you embarrassing me".

"You knew who I was when we were dating. You knew I wasn't going to change. You knew this was how I was before we could even _tolerate _each other. Why you would think I would change just because-"

"You had so much potential. You still do-"

"Oh ho! Thanks!" she shrieked sarcastically. "Now that I know I have 'potential' let me go skip off and be the perfect Death Eater's wife and get the shit beat out of me everyday." She paused, as if in thought. "Oh wait, I already tried that, and I didn't like it, and frankly, I'm over it and you".

"A filthy mudblood like you could never be a suitable wife." Draco was beyond angry. This ungrateful bitch was standing in front of him, saying she didn't want him. After everything he had done for her, after all the expensive cloths and trips and jewelry. After he had proudly shown her off to his colleagues. After he proposed to her, confessed his love for her. His father was right; _Mudbloods aren't good for anything but a good cheap fuck, if that_. But even as the words echoed around his head, there was a jolt in Draco's stomach. He loved this woman with all his heart, even if she said things that almost made him want to lose her. He pushed these thoughts aside and continued his harsh words. "I said it before and I'll say it again. No one will have you. _No one _will put up with you like I do. Did. I doubt even the boy who just won't die committed to you"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Draco kept going. "Oh, he might have _pretended_ like he did, but it was for show, I assure you. To get into your pants. To fuck you. Did you two fuck?" he spat these words. "Bet he had to close his eyes or take of his glasses to stomach it. He used you to plan his inevitable escape, just like it was back in school. Need proof? Look around. _You_ are the one captured and hes off galavanting free as a fucking bird. You were nothing more than a tool that is no longer needed."

There was a long silence after his little rant. Hermione, stood still, eyes shining with tears, mouth slightly agape, the hurt painted thick on her face.

_There, _Draco thought, somewhat triumphantly, _the seed of doubt has been planted. _He looked at her for a moment longer, then turned away._ She needs to be alone to think._. "Dessy" he called her favorite house elf. The small creature popped into the room. "Take Miss Granger up to the bedroom next to mine. I can't stand to look at her anymore." He spoke as if she wasn't even present. "Put the wards up, including the new ones." He spoke in a tight mechanical voice.

The elf's eyes were wide as they looked upon Hermione. It nodded quickly. "Yes, Master." it squeaked. She walked over to Hermione. "If you will, Miss., please follow Dessy". Still facing away from her, Draco felt Hermione's eyes on his back, but he didn't turn. He knew the sadness in them would break his heart, as they always did, but this would be for the best in the end. She would realize that she needed him like she did before.

He walked away towards the bottle of brandy that sat on top of the mahogany piano and conjured up a tumbler.

After he had poured the drink, he turned to find the room empty.

He sighed and dropped heavily into the couch.

They would talk tomorrow. They would talk, and work this out, and everything would be fine. He looked over to where her coat lay, and with a wave of his hand summoned it to lay across his lap. It smelled like her. He fingered the buttons absentmindedly. One was missing, most likely popped off in the fight in the alley way. _I'll have to buy her a new one_, he thought idly, staring into the fire.

**_A/N: Told you this one would be longer. :) Tell me what you think; love it, hate it? Let me know! Got over 2,000 hits and a fraction of reviews. Que sadsie faaaaaace...NOW :( Lol. I'll try to update again soon loves, promise. _**


	5. Sleeping Sickness

**_A/N: Responses....yo :)_**

**_Sarahr85 : Yup, he's pretty insane. and it is a learned behavior. As you will see in this chapter, Draco begins to fight the 'beast' inside of him. He WANTS to be good, but doesn't necessarily know how. He doesn't have that 'innocence bank' as I like to call it, to dive into. _**

**_Sweetestofpeas: 1: your name makes me smile :) 2: thank you very much. I'm glad I can bring something new to the table for you. _**

**_Shlayne: I do believe in God. He's my homie. ^_^ AAAAAAANNNNNNDDDDDDDDDD I think you'll like this chapter. Lots. THASALLI'MSAYIN! _**

**_and to everyone else who took the time out to review, THANK YOU. You fuel my fire. Now, here's some more Draco for you little cherubs. _**

He wanted to look at her.

Draco hadn't moved from the spot he had fallen into on the couch in front of the fire after sending Hermione away. The room was darker now, the fire in the hearth long gone. The only source of light was provided by the occasional lightning bolt across the sky, unaccompanied by thunder. His fingers still danced over the soft wool of her coat. His mind was slightly more clouded, as the only moves he had made besides idle button fondling was to refill his tumbler.

_But not drunk._

No, he wasn't drunk. Draco never drank to get drunk. He did once and after waking up with a headache the size of giant hit with an _Engorgio_ spell, declared never to do it again. More or less, Draco was always sound of mind.

_Too bad, _a voice somewhere in his head whispered, _at least if you did get pissed you'd have an excuse._

Draco shook his head violently, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath through his nose. Exhaling, he leaned forward to set his tumbler on the mahogany table.

He needed to look at her. All they had done was fight. In all the commotion he hadn't a chance to study her. He'd looked at her up close, of course, but not in the context he would have liked. He wanted to look at her when there was no fear in her eyes and no bruises marring her skin. He wanted to look at her up close, and have her look at him like she used to.

Setting the coat aside and standing up, he wondered absently how many of the marks were gone. Not that he didn't have faith in Dessy. But there always seemed to be that one spot...

He stumbled slightly up the stairs, but quickly righted himself, bracing one hand on the deep red carpet of the stairs and the other gripping the dark wood banister. Another flash of lightning revealed the blood on his shirt cuff. He grimaced.

_Is it mine or hers? Either way, I can't look at her with blood on me. She'll be afraid. But I won't hurt her, I never want to..._

His mind was muddled and his breathing slightly labored. Instead of heading towards her room as he intended, he made a beeline for his own, unbuttoning his shirt as he went.

A few minutes later, Draco found himself under the hot spray of the shower head. This, however, did nothing to clear his mind. Instead, it made him more drowsy and a little more uncoordinated.

_Maybe I drank more than I thought I did... _

Once in his bedroom, he pulled on a pair of black flannel pajamas. He'd always been partial to silk until Hermione came along and convinced him that the slippery fabric did nothing for keeping in body heat. He smiled to himself.

_I'm blood free. I won't scare her now._

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hermione didn't know how long she'd been asleep. In all honesty, she was surprised that she had even fallen asleep. She had laid staring up at the ceiling for what seemed like hours, Draco's words bouncing around her skull. Before that, Dessy had led her to the specified room, sat her down on the bed, and was about to start healing her bruises when Hermione shook her head.

No, she had told Dessy, she would take care of them herself. The elf seemed to know that this was impossible due to the fact that Hermione had no wand, but would never dare question Master's Miss. Dessy, looked unsure, insisting that she 'clean Miss up', but Hermione refused. The elf, distraught, stated that she would bring up some tea, to 'calm Miss' nerves'.

As Hermione observed her favorite house elf wringing her tiny hands nervously, at a loss of how else to help, Hermione did not begrudge her. Looking somewhat relived, but not by much, she had popped out of the room.

The truth was Hermione wasn't going to heal what marred her skin. She would not erase these, not again. She would wake up in the morning, face Draco, and expose to him, in the light of day, what exactly he had done. And if there were flowers she would take them and destroy them in front of him. She wasn't going to play the damn game anymore.

The spray of the shower head in the bathroom made her body ache and relax simultaneously. Going back into the room to dress for bed, Hermione spotted the teapot along with matching china, honey, and sugar sitting on the bedside table. Hermione smiled a little to herself then. She really did adore that elf, and felt a little guilty to lying to her. She hoped when Draco saw the bruises he wouldn't punish Dessy for not healing them.

Once dressed and under the blankets, Hermione sipped her tea. The effect was instantaneous, her body relaxed and the aching subsided somewhat. She drank the whole pot and had sunk into the covers in the dark to think about Draco's harsh words.

Harry had loved her, _still _loved her. He would find her. He wasn't using her. Harry would bust in someday soon, wand blazing. Harry would always save her, because he loved her, always had he'd told her once. But how would he find her, she pondered. She rarely got captured. There was only that one time with Bellatrix...

She squeezed her eyes tightly at this memory and burrowed further into the blankets. How would he find her? Every time someone had been in danger or captured and not immediately killed _she _had pieced together where they might be. Harry and Ron were the brawn. Not to say she wouldn't help in the fighting...

She yawned. The tea was strong. Utterly relaxing.... _not just tea, _she thought hazily. Dessy, she realized, must have felt worse than Hermione had initially thought, for not being able to fix her up. Apparently, she had helped take away her pain the one other way she knew possible; pain potion. And not just a pain potion, a sleep one as well. _Most likely dreamless_. Hermione knew why the elf hadn't told her she was going to slip these in the tea; she would have flat out refused.

_Damn traitorous elf, _was Hermione's last coherent thought before slipping away.

But now she was partially awake. The sleep potion made her limbs heavy. She could barely move. Her mind was foggy. It had to be the potion that wouldn't allow her to jump out of the bed, to distance herself from Draco, who lay underneath the covers with her, his long fingers running through her curls, massaging gently. It had to be the potion that made her lean into his caress....

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Draco stood watching her for a long while. She lay on her side, face turned away from him, her curls fanned out on the pillow behind her. Her breathing was deep and unlabored. She moved a little, as if sensing someone watching her. Slowly he walked around to the other side of the bed. The rain had stopped while he was in the shower and the moon decided to make an appearance.

Her delicate face bathed in the white light made Draco's heart catch in his throat.

He needed to touch her.

He lifted the duke blanket slowly, not wanting to startle her, and slipped in slowly. He moved in closer. Before he knew it, his fingers were on her face. They traced the dark blue bruise on her cheek, his thumb ran over her split lip. His touch feathered over the finger sized marks, _his _fingers marks, on her delicate neck.

He didn't know he was crying until he tasted the salt on his lip. Hermione gave a little sigh in her sleep. An anguished whimper escaped Draco's lips. The tears were coming faster now, burning trails on his cheeks. His fingers drifted up, into her hair. He ran them through the thickness of her smooth curls. His hands were shaking.

Her eyes opened now. She looked blearily at him. He waited for the fear to spark in her eyes, the hate, but it never came. She looked at him blankly for a moment, before giving another little sigh, closing her eyes, and leaning into his touch.

Another small broken sob spilled from Draco's lips before he could stifle it. He moved closer to her, and pulled his shaking hand from her hair. He closed his eyes and rested his fingertips on the mark on her cheek. He murmured something and in an instant the bruise was gone. He kissed the spot. He repeated this on her neck as well.

"Tell me", he whispered into her hair. "Tell me where else, Princess." Hermione didn't answer just shifted slightly. "Please", he pleaded. His chest felt like it was going to burst. "Please, tell me Hermione." The hand that wasn't healing was buried in her hair, cradling the back of her head, pinky finger stroking the fine hairs at the base of her neck. He remembered that there was a bump there too. A cut. She had been bleeding from it. He murmured over that too. A small sound of contentment came from Hermione. "Where else?" She still didn't reply. He ran his hand down her arms, spreading the healing all the way down. He knew she had to hurt there, with the way he had handled her. When his hand drifted over her ribcage, there was a sharp intake of breath. "Here, Princess? Does it hurt here, baby?" She still didn't speak, but gave a small whimper. He slipped his warm hand underneath her shirt and rested his big palm on her tiny side. She whimpered again. He said the healing spell, and her body relaxed. "Is that better?" Draco whispered, his thumb rubbing her stomach.

Hermione nodded her head, and snuggled into him. He took a deep shuddering breath. He pulled back to look at her now clear face. Her eyes were closed still, long eye lashes brushing her cheeks. There was still one more thing to fix. He placed his fingertips gingerly on her lower lip and said the healing incantation.

Hermione's deep breathing signaled that she had not been awake for this last healing. He traced her nose lightly. His tears had ceased but the deep burning ache inside of him never dulled.

Draco sighed. He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly against hers, reveling in the feel of them once again. He pulled back after a few moments, gathered her up in his arms, and closed his eyes.

**_A/N: Is there hope for crazy insane Draco yet? *shrugs* I'm not telling. Least not yet :) Will update as soon as possible, lest I want pointy things jabbed in my general direction. Ta ta, loves. _**


	6. Bruises

_**A/N: Hello hello hello and SORRY. I know its been forever, or at least it seems like it's been forever, but I have a good excuse. S'called real life. Its been having its way with me, seriously it looks like a Sirius/Remus slash story around here. Yes, real life is making me bend over and taking it like man and sadly, its not half as sexy as Siri and Reem Reem make it seem. But then I got a review from the lovely AmeliaJade326 a few days ago and reminded me that I have this little gem to continue, so thank you for that. Here is a cake with a naughty picture drawn in icing. I hope you enjoy. n_n. NOW. Chapter 6, I hope you enjoy it. **_

Warm.

That's how Hermione felt now.

Warm, and comfortable..... and a little heavy. But that last sensation could be attributed to the last vestiges of sleeping potion still running through her blood.

Sleeping potion....

Hermione shot up, warmth and comfiness gone as she recalled where she was. Prisoner in Malfoy's home. Held hostage by her crazy ex-fiance for God knows what reason, seeing as how Draco already knew that she wasn't giving any information as to Harry and the other's whereabouts.

_Harry_.

Tears pricked the back of Hermione's eyes as Draco's cruel words from last night came rushing back to her. The burning feeling in her eyes grew more insistent as the events leading up to that argument hit her full force. Tugging the heavy blankets back forcefully, she stumbled out of the bed, expecting the unavoidable pain from her afflictions. But there was none.

She felt dizzy, disoriented from the bombardment of images and words and memories and getting up too quickly from the bed. Colors danced in front of her eyes as she stumbled across the big bedroom in the general direction of the bathroom, one hand stretched out in front of her as to not bump into any furniture or to catch herself if she did, as the other hand patted her body absently. Where was the pain? It had been awhile since she found herself in this situation but the 'morning after' effects were still fresh in her mind. Yes, her bruises and cuts were usually gone by morning, but the soreness wasn't, and there was always that one odd spot.... Not that that applied in this situation. If she recalled correctly neither she nor Dessy did anything to heal her last night. The raw pain should still be there.

Finally reaching the wall next to the bathroom, she clutched the door frame and pulled herself inside, blinking wildly. The lights flared instantly and more flashes of little lights burst in front of her eyes. She felt for the counter and once finding it, placed both hands, palms down, supporting her weight. Hermione closed her eyes tightly, willing the spots to disappear. Once she righted herself, she took a deep breath, opened her eyes slowly and looked into the mirror.

Her skin was clear.

The finger sized marks were gone from her neck and her lip was full, not swollen around a cut that she knew should still be there.

Hermione watched her reflection frown and mummer the words 'what the...'

She turned quickly, whipping her flannel night shirt off. The one provided the night before. As it fell onto the floor, Hermione realized quickly that it must be one of Draco's, but pushed the thought aside. She stood in front of the full sized mirror on wall beside the door naked from the waist up and looked at her unmarked skin. She tentatively raised her hand up to allow her fingers to graze her ribs, and even though she knew it wouldn't happen, Hermione expected the tight soreness to catch her senses.

There was no need to remove the baggy flannel bottoms. She knew there would be nothing there.

But how? Why?

Dessy wouldn't have healed her. Or would she? Did her fear of Draco finding Hermione still blemished in the morning push her to sneak back in the middle of the night and heal her? Was that why she slipped her the Sleeping Draught? _Blasted elf._ Hermione frowned. But that couldn't be the case. Elf magic, while powerful, would not get rid of the stiffness. How-

_'Princess...'_

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. _No... He wouldn't have._

_'Tell me....'_

Hermione watched herself, as if from outside, sink to the cold marble floor. She'd thought she was dreaming. She'd forgotten about it the minute she drifted back off. There was no way he'd fix her up. He never did.

_The feel of his body pressed against hers. That clean smell of a fresh shower, his soap, and something else. Something fleeting that made her body want to panic, but she just couldn't seem to in her hyper relaxed state..._

He had been drunk. That other smell was alcohol. Of course it made sense. He'd have to be drunk to do something remotely human.

'_Please.'_

The tears that had been threatening to fall earlier made their appearance as she recalled his broken voice. They burned a hot trail down her face and fell onto her bare chest.

She'd moved closer to him, in the bed. She'd allowed him not only to stay, but take her in his arms. And she'd liked it immensely.

She was weak. Weak and stupid and....

_No_

No. She would not slip back into this pattern of thinking. She had been drugged! She cursed Dessy, not for the first time and yanked the top back over her body, once again wondering how she hadn't realized these were Draco's clothes. They were too big for her and they even smelled like him. Faintly, but it was there. Lingering. Her movements faltered, her hands running over the fabric.

It was soft, worn in. She resisted the urge to take the collar and rub it against her face like she used to. Her eyes glazed over and the tears became more persistent.

"_Must you wear my night clothes, Hermione?" The question held no weight, as a smile played around his stern expression. _

_Hermione didn't answer right away as she ruffled through his dresser drawer. A soft "Aha', escaped her lips as she pulled out her favorite pair. Black with thin dark green stripes that formed squares. She slipped the bottoms on, smiling contently as the soft, worn fabric rubbed against her skin. As she buttoned the top, she walked over to the bed and climbed on. She took the collar into her hand and rubbed it against her face, closing her eyes briefly and smiled again. She opened her eyes to say, "Don't you even complain. If it wasn't for me you'd still be wearing silk to bed." _

"_Yes, well, maybe I like silk". Draco lay back, half sitting, and laced his fingers behind his head._

"_Sure. Is that why you're wearing the pajama's I got you for Christmas. I'm surprised", she sat beside him, turned so she was facing him. Her hair was over one shoulder and a soft smile played on her lips. The dim lighting created shadows in the bedroom and cast a soft orange light on his skin "They _are _Gryffindor colors." _

_She felt him shudder lightly as she ran a finger down his bare chest. His face remained impassive, however as he said with a sniff, "I look good in red, with my coloring and all." Hermione's smile grew a little more as she leaned over and gave him a soft lingering kiss. "And", Draco's voice was husky, "I decided to wear the color to bed before I got robes in the same shade." Hermione kisseed him again, longer, and softer, allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth and caress his own. He always tasted so good. His voice was a whisper now, "I have to make sure I look good in a color before I wear it in the public." _

_Hermione grinned against his lips. "You would never wear scarlet in public", she whispered. _

"_You're right", Draco grinned as well and he raised his hand to slip his fingers into her hair, playing with the soft strands at the nape of her neck. Her eyes fluttered closed as he pulled her down gently into another kiss._

Hermione swayed a bit. The memory seemed to come out of nowhere and now it lingered. She ran her fingers through her hair, gripping it. He'd healed her head too apparently. There was no blinding pain, just the faint prickle as she gripped the roots harder. She remembered the rest of that night, how attentive he'd been. How gentley he handled her, whispering how beautiful she was and how much he loved her while her body tensed and her vision clouded. And last night, he'd been just as soft. He healed her, took care of her. Maybe...

_No. Wait, no._

"No", she whispered aloud this time. No, she would not do this. This was what he wanted. Using her favorite house elf, giving her his clothes, putting her in the bedroom next to his, _their _old bedroom. Even the wine last night. She'd ignored the glass completely but she noticed it. And then coming into her bedroom drunk while she was full of Sleeping Draught and...and...

Well, she wasn't going to give him what he wanted. She brushed away the tears forcefully and angrily went to stand back in front of the mirror. She wasn't going to let him think for a second that he was going to have a part of her life again. He couldn't change, and never would. He'd promised then that he wasn't going to hurt her and looked how that turned out. It didn't matter what he did for her last night because he was the one who caused it in the first place. And all those wonderful times in the past didn't matter either.

She spotted a toothbrush and picked it up.

What mattered was here and now. What mattered was what was happening both inside and outside these walls. She angrily put toothpaste on the brush. After she was finished cleaning up, she was going to find Draco and demand he let her leave.

*-*-*-*-*-*_*

"Where do we even start?" Harry gripped his hair, his elbows resting on his knees, head bowed. "We have no idea where...where could they have taken her? Why haven't they bargained her? Why..."

"I don't know, Harry", Ron gripped his shoulder, bracingly. "We'll find her, I know we will. This will be over soon anyway."

Harry raised his head quickly and gave Ron a penetrating stare. "What do you mean?"

"Luna and Kingsley, well', Ron paused. "They think they may have found their headquarters."

"But that means-"

"We could get them in one fell swoop, yeah."

Harry didn't dare to hope, but he couldn't stop the small feeling of possibility flutter in his stomach. They would catch them, all of them and this could all be over.

He'd finally have peace of mind.

_And Hermione._

_**A/N: There it is. Like? Hate? Indifferent? Let meh know, please :) Once again, I'll try to get this story out and about as quick as I can, but ya know...real life and all. *Rubs back*** _


	7. Our Hell

**_A/N: You lucky little monkeys! Or should I say, I am said lucky monkey as I've had a bit of a lull between rounds. Anyhoodles, decided to pop out another chapter. I felt like my last was too short, so I tried to make this one longer. Thank all of you who reviewed and subscribed, and a special thank you to hpwwefan for giving me the "Big 5" as I like to call it. That made me smile, lots. You all make me smile. Hope you enjoy this chapter. *Walks away smiling*_**

_Hermione had never been a big person. At 5'4 and 116 pounds she was used to feeling less substantial, but she'd never felt as small as she did now, standing in front of Harry's flat door. She knocked even though she didn't have to; the wards would hum her arrival. She felt jumpy, and an electric current was running through her blood, surging irregularly to rub underneath her skin. She tried to stay still, but wiping her palms on her jeans soon turned into wringing them together. _

_She had left for good this time. There was no angry storming out after an argument. Actually he wasn't even at home or in the country for that matter. Draco had left the night before for a business trip. That day had been a good one, gentle words,carrying a calmer connotation then most. It was when he held her close and whispered in her hair that he loved her right before giving a soft chaste kiss on her lips that she snapped. Not outwardly of course. No, on the outside she'd just smiled back and said '"I love you too", and gave him an extra squeeze. But inside she was angry. How _dare_ he lie to her. He didn't love her. If he loved her he wouldn't treat her the way he did. _

_She'd waited a few hours after he'd left to start packing her things, going through the whole mini mansion gathering up odd knickknacks and books and clothing. She hadn't slept, just waited until the sunrise before shrinking her bags, tucking them into her pocket and Apparating to Harry's. _

Where was he_? She looked up and down the hall nervously. She almost jumped out of her skin when a cat slunk around the corner and sat in front of a door, licking its paw, ignoring her completely. Why didn't he answer the door? Tears pricked her eyes, panicked tears. He had to be here, she couldn't go back there. She didn't want to set foot back in that house and she didn't want to go to Ron or Ginny or Luna. She needed to see Harry. He was the one who always made her feel better even if he didn't know it._

_Hermione's hand was poised to knock on his door again, when it flew open. All the nervous energy seeped out of her as she watched him tug a thin green shirt over his head. "Sorry, Hermione", his voice muffled momentarily by the fabric. "Just got out of the shower- What's wrong?" She watched as he took in her appearance; hair back to its frizzy state, puffy red eyes and rumpled clothes. "Hermione", he took a step closer to her and suddenly she was sinking into his chest, arms wrapped around his waist, sobs wracking through her body. "Whoa", he pulled her gently inside, closing the front door. She continued crying as he led her to the living room and sat them both down on the couch. _

_She wasn't sure how long it was until she'd calmed down enough to speak but when she did, Harry stopped his rocking and pulled back slowly, as if afraid to set her off again. She sniffled and looked down, but he slid closer and held her face in his hands. "Hermione", he said softly, thumbs rubbing her cheeks. "Hermione, what's wrong?" _

"_I...I had to...", she took a deep shaky breath. Harry wasn't wearing his glasses and his emerald stare was penetrating and calming at the same time. _

"_Had to what?"_

"_Leave. I had to leave. He kept..lying" her voice broke then, it was angry and tear-filled and slightly desperate. "He kept lying, he wouldn't do that if he loved me."_

_She could tell Harry was trying to understand, but he kept his voice low and level, his Auror training taking over. _Don't get side-tracked. Just ask the questions that matter the most for now._"Lying about what?" He didn't need to ask who 'he' was. Harry already knew Draco was a prick. He had never trusted him. So what if he'd defected. He only did it to save his own arse, and he certainly was no fucking hero; he wasn't deserving of the simpering and lingering looks he received nor the sighs of "so brave to desert his evil father." It had been most disappointing to Harry when Hermione had become one of those who were adamant that 'he'd changed'. And he was _more _disappointed (angry really) that she had begun dating the man. He never accepted it, but Harry stopped telling Hermione to leave Draco after a while. Verbally that is, as he still allowed his body language to speak wonders when they were all in the vicinity. Harry knew Draco would hurt her in someway soon enough. He didn't like it one bit that that was what it would inevitably lead to, but Hermione was a grown woman, old enough to make her own bad choices, and she didn't need Harry to pull on her ear the whole time._

_Hermione sniffled again. "He kept saying he loved me", her voice was barely a whisper but he caught it all the same. Now he was throughly confused._

"_He doesn't love you?" Harry couldn't help the creep of indignation in his voice. Who couldn't love Hermione? She was smart and funny and beautiful and caring, and loyal, and when she was drunk she giggled and cuddled. Not to mention those freckles on her nose and the golden streaks in her eyes...._

_Hermione shut her eyes tightly and shook her head, still cradled in his hands. A few more tears fell, but Harry wiped them away with his thumbs. "No", her voice was shaking even more now. "No, he doesn't. He's always.... hurting me."_

_The way she said this made the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand up. "What", his voice was dangerous now, "do you mean?"_

_Hermione didn't say anything, just turned her head away. Or tried to. Harry's grip tightened slightly and gave her a small shake. "How?" he asked forcefully. _

_She took a deep breath and, eyes still shut, gently removed his hands from her face. She shifted on the couch shakily, so that she could turn around. Her back facing him now, quaking hands reached back to the hem of her shirt. Slowly she lifted the fabric, to show him the single purpling mark that hadn't been healed from two nights before. _

She found him in the kitchen.

He was sitting on the tall black chair in front of the bar. He was dressed only in black slacks. His feet and upper body were bare and his back was to her. She could see him reading the paper and sipping from a white mug.

The wild thought to take him down now, tackle him from the back and wrap her fingers around his throat, flitted across her mind. But before she could even ponder performing that act, he turned his head and looked at her standing in the doorway over his shoulder.

"Breakfast is ready. The eggs are just how you like them, I made sure I cooked them myself." He closed the newspaper and set it down before stepping off the chair. His hair looked damp as if he hadn't taken a shower too long ago. His face looked well rested or in other words not hungover. "And I know, when did I start cooking, right?" He smiled, that charming smile that caught her so off guard which now seemed like so long ago. "Well, right after you...left." She watched the single tick in his jaw. "Helped deal with the stress."

She stared at him as he still smiled. She tried to keep her eyes on his face but she couldn't help looking at the rest of his body. The smooth alabaster skin that stretched taunt over his lean muscles. Draco wasn't as slight as he was back in school. Although he was no Ron, his shoulders were still broad enough and he'd picked up more muscle mass. His flat stomach was slightly more defined than how she remembered and his 'vee' cuts on each side were deeper.

She used to kiss that expanse of skin all over.

_Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it._

Hermione cleared her throat and looked into his eyes. "Why were you in my bed last night?" She was proud to observe her voice was steady.

Draco didn't flinch. Instead he gave a smirk and said, "Last time I checked, this", he spread his arms to indicate he was referring to the house as a whole, "was mine. So technically, I was in my bed."

Hermione fumed. Of course he would do this, resort to wordplay. Biding time. Purposely make her angry. "Fine", she bit out. "Why were you in the same bed with me?"

"I can do whatever I want to my belongings." His eyes became steely and his jaw tightened.

"I," Hermione's temper spiked again, "am _not _one of your belongings." This was ridiculous. So far, every time she set out have a conversation to get something resolved, it turned into an argument that went in circles. They weren't yelling yet, but it wouldn't be long.

"Oh," Draco took a step forward and Hermione automatically took a step back, cursing herself in the same second. _Do not show weakness. _Not that she could take another step back anyway. She hadn't come too far into the kitchen and now her back was against the edge of the wall, the point where the two edges met digging in between her shoulder blades. "But that's where you're wrong." Draco continued, his gaze intense, taking another step closer. "You _do _belong to me, Hermione." He was standing right in front of her now. "You're my Princess, or at least," he raised his hand, fingers tracing her clear skin, "I tried to make it official. But you...left." His voice was very soft and although his eyes were on her face, they weren't entirely focused. It was as if he were reflecting to himself, murmuring aloud as he alluded.

She hadn't flinched from his touch but the panic that she felt when his skin first made contact with her own flared. Her breathing hitched unpleasantly as he slid his fingers into her hair. "Yes," he breathed in that unsettling tone, "imagine when I came home, to find my Princess gone. I came home early just for you, did you know that?"

He didn't wait for an answer.

"I couldn't wait to get back and hold you... I searched all over you know. Thought you were holed up somewhere poring over a book. Or hiding from me." His fingers tightened in her hair for a moment and Hermione flinched minutely. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't seem to look away from his face, whose expression was far away. She needed to keep looking at him, had to watch when he finally snapped back to reality and realize that she was fifty pounds lighter than him and without a wand.

_What is wrong with him? _The question popped up in her head. She'd seen him odd and volatile before but....this was different.

"You were always hiding from me..." He continued his monologue. "So, I called for Dessy and imagine my utter surprise when she stuttered and stammered that she saw "Master's Miss pack her bags and disappear." His fist clenched in her hair again, much harder this time, and Hermione watched a shadow fall across his face, but his voice remained soft. Extremely soft and Hermione knew that soon she would have to calm him down somehow. Now was not the time to demand her release. Now was the time to protect herself from bodily harm. Her nostrils flared as she realized this would mean leaving this place would be delayed.

Draco removed his hand from her hair, instead he cupped her face and brought his other hand up to do the same. "Imagine," he whispered, "standing on Potter's threshold looking over his shoulder at you. You know how you looked like right then?" Hermione trembled and tears slid down her cheeks.

She was scared.

How was she going to calm him down?

"Do you?" He rubbed the tears away with the pads of his thumbs. Still trembling, lips shaking far too much to speak, Hermione shook her head 'no.' His eyes sharpened now, focused. He was no longer looking into the past but right into her eyes. He smiled a dangerous smile. "You princess," he lowered his head agonizingly slow, until his lips hovered right about hers, where the tears were running over freely now, "looked like you'd just been fucked through the mattress".

Hermione's heart pounded extremely hard as his hands gripped her face. Her panic was paramount. He was going to slam her head back into the wall, she knew it. And where she was standing wasn't a flat surface, no, the edge of the wall would no doubt make the impact twenty times worse. She would black out and not just for a few hours. _Calm him down, CALM HIM DOWN._

"Dray-Draco", he voice shook wildly. "I would never, I didn't." And it was the truth. She hadn't slept with Harry. At least not around the time he was talking about. "I was, I'm" she fished for something frantically. Delving into her memories to what usually placated him. "I loved you. Love you. I love you, Draco", her hand trembled as she rose it to rest on his bare chest. His eyes fluttered for a moment at her touch and Hermione latched onto the action. She rose her other hand to lay next to the other, and slid them both up the velvety skin to rest on his shoulders. "I'd never hurt you, you know that". This part, she was confused and somewhat unhappy to admit was true. She'd never wanted to hurt him, just wanted him to stop hurting her. But shouldn't she want to hurt him? After everything?

Regardless, his grip loosed and his thumbs circled her cheeks. His eyes were closed and he stepped closer to her. Hermione slid her hands back down his chest to encircle his waist. It was like petting a lion everyone swore was trained. No quick movements, aware of the fierce temper underneath.

Draco took a deep breath and rested his forehead against hers. "Say it again", he whispered.

She took a deep, shuddering breath. She had to say it. To calm him down, it's not like she meant it. She was only saying it out of self preservation. The reason why her heart ached was because she was lying about it's priorities. Really. "I love you, Draco."

And then his lips were on hers, soft and velvety and sweet. He sucked on her bottom lip gently and she let it drop slightly to let his tongue in. The only reason she felt her body melt was because she'd finally calmed him down. The only reason why her arms pulled him closer was because she was so relieved she could faint.

With all the emotions and thoughts barreling through her body and mind, one was prominent.

_It shouldn't be this easy to kiss him._

_**A/N: There it is! Reviews please :) I've noticed a pattern. Staggering number of hits (9,000 I think *squees and hands out popsicles*) and not so staggering number of reviews. Is it just me... Thoughts, comments. What do you think of my Draco, is he capable of fixing things? Will Hermione let him? SHOULD she let him? Ah well :) Real life is calling me back. Financial-Check In here I come! **_

_**Oh! and I'm thinking of doing a soundtrack for this story. I know I never used to like em, but I've warmed up to the idea, and I wanted to know if you all wanted songs to accompany the crazy. **_


	8. Rouges

**_A/N: WOW! Can I just say how much I adore you guys. Thank you so so much for the reviews! I was going to put this chapter out next week but I have a feeling I'm going to be pretty busy then so I'm posting it now. I really hope you enjoy it. _**

She felt dirty.

Hermione was back in the room she'd slept in the night before and was curled up in a tight ball underneath the heavy blankets. Her hands were buried in her hair as she rocked back and forth.

She'd let him kiss her. She'd stood there and...and...

She curled up tighter, squeezed her eyes shut, and swallowed thickly.

She hadn't stopped him when his hands moved down to slide underneath the night shirt, _his nightshirt, _and begin to caress her skin. And she hadn't made any moves to prevent him from moving one of his hands down to delve into the waistband and touch her.

She'd let him touch her! She hadn't protested or pulled away or...or

A wail ripped out of her throat and she pulled at her hair desperately, in a way that indicated if she could somehow manage to pull out the roots the memory would come away with it.

She'd arched into him, whimpering into his mouth as his fingers moved in and out of her and she'd held him tighter when he coaxed a soft orgasm out of her.

And she'd almost died inside when her vision unclouded and he met her eyes as he licked his fingers and kissed her softly on the lips, making her taste herself on him.

Another desperate cry was wrenched from her lungs and the rocking got worse. The scene replayed over and over and over and she couldn't escape it, couldn't escape the slightly mad reverent look he gave her afterwards, and her heart felt like it was getting smaller and smaller and she couldn't breathe and burning tears welled in her eyes and oh God why couldn't she breathe. She was weak, weak minded, weak willed, so weak her body decided she shouldn't live anymore. That had to be the reason why it refused to let her draw breath.

She deserved it. She didn't deserve to live. If not for what she'd..._allowed _but because of what had happened before all that. No, she didn't deserve to breathe because she'd said she loved him. She'd said she loved him and it wasn't a lie. What was _wrong_ with her? How could she love a monster? Want to touch his skin and feel him all over and have him hold her?

Her sobs were wracking her body now, giving no reprieve and her scalp was screaming with mistreatment. Screaming and ranting about how much it hated her.

Hermione didn't really know when she realized that it wasn't her scalp screaming these things, but her own mouth.

But when she did, she didn't stop.

*_*_*_*_*

She'd tasted so good.

Draco smiled to himself.

He _knew_ she loved him.

He stood in front of the ornate mirror in the foyer to Glamour his hair to a light shade of brown and his eyes to a light blue. He gave himself a tan and made his nose slightly larger. He inspected his work and nodded to himself. He zipped up his sweater as he made his way to the front door, only pausing to tell Dessy to keep an eye on Hermione, lest she want a repeat of what happened last time.

_*_*_*_*_*_

_Hermione was just walking into the living room after brushing her teeth when he'd shown up. She hadn't even heard the knock, as she was yawning at the time, but she froze when she heard his voice._

"_Hermione." Her heart burst out of her chest. She didn't look at him. He was angry. She could hear it. So angry. Even though he kept his voice level she could hear the anger bursting out of every word. _

_When he saw she wasn't going to turn he said her name again, forcefully, enunciating every syllable. "Hermione."_

_She revolved slowly. Her eyes met his and she shivered. Draco was livid. Harry was blocking the doorway with his whole body and she could see the muscles taunt in his neck. His fists were clenched. From around his body, Hermione could take in Draco's appearance. It looked like he had just gotten back from his trip. His long double breasted charcoal grey coat was open and he was still wearing his black suit underneath. _

"_Get the fuck out of here, Malfoy," Harry bit out. Draco didn't acknowledge him as he held Hermione's gaze, letting her see the anger seething beneath the grey. _

"_Hermione, come out here." It was a command. In _that _voice. The voice he knew scared her so badly she couldn't even think straight when she heard it. _

"_She isn't going anywhere with you", Harry all but snarled. _

_Hermione knew what was coming and she wanted to prevent it. She didn't want a scene. "Har-Harry it's alright." Her voice shook. "I'll just go, it was a mistake coming here, it's alright."_

_Victory blazed in Draco's eyes and gave her an__ almost __imperceptible__ n__od, but before he could expound on this Harry spoke again._

"_You aren't going anywhere with this piece of shit Hermione." Still Draco said nothing._

"_Harry, it's fine real-"_

"_No, it isn't!" Harry rounded on her now. "I'm not letting you go anywhere."_

"_Harry," Hermione all but pleaded, "you can't keep me here."_

_Harry's face flushed with anger. "I can and I will. You aren't setting foot out of this flat with him," he jabbed his finger at Draco, still silent in the doorway, "so he can beat the everliving shit out of you whenever he pleases."_

_Now Draco looked at Harry,, but not before Hermione saw the flash of betrayal in his eyes. "What I do, in my home Potter is none of your damn business."_

"_What you do?! You mean raising your fists to beat a woman half your fucking size?" He walked up to Draco now, so close their noses were almost touching. "Does it make you feel like a big man, hmm?" He was whispering, the sneer and disgust heavy in his voice. "Does it make you feel big to hit someone who can't defend themselves?"_

"_Harry,' Hermione pleaded._

_He ignored her. _

"_Does it bring back memories of dear old Death Eater Daddy beating on poor Mummy. Couldn't raise your wand on the battlefield but you can raise your fist behind closed doors?"_

_Quick as lightning Draco's hand shot out and grasped Harry's throat. "Do not,' he snarled his grip iron tight "speak of things you do not know about, Potter."_

"_Draco, stop it!" Hermione yelled. _

_His icy gaze pinned her. "Shut the fuck up, you slut. Get your belong-" His words were cut short as a fist collided with his face. He released Harry's throat. _

"_Don't you fucking talk to her like that!" Harry raised his fist again, this time punching Malfoy hard in the gut. _

_Everything happened so quickly. Draco went to punch Harry back but Harry ducked and roughly tackled him around the waist. As Draco and Harry flew into the outside hall, their hands caught on a lamp and the shatter combined with the loud thud of the hallway wall. _

"_Stop it!" Hermione screamed, rushing to the doorway. Draco was on top of Harry now, one hand gripping his shirt to hold him up, and the other smashed repeatedly into his face. "Draco! Stop it!" Draco's wild eyes fixed on Hermione in the doorway and made a move towards her but Harry, with his bloodied face and split knuckles, reached up and grabbed Draco's foot as he went to stand. Draco toppled over onto his stomach and Harry got on top of his back. He grabbed a handful of blonde hair and smashed Draco's face into the hallway floor._

_Now the neighbors were standing in the hallway, watching with opened mouths as the two men tried to tear out each other's throats. _

_Hermione couldn't move. She could feel some of the tenants watching her, but she couldn't look away from Harry and Draco. She vaguely heard herself saying "stop" and "please" but they were so quiet she could barely hear them herself. She felt as if she had detached from her body. _

_This is what her life has come to. _

_She felt weak and drained. She shouldn't have come here. It was selfish to put Harry in the situation. She should have just stayed. Everything was fine when Draco left. Maybe if she had just stayed things would have stayed fine and they would never have gotten hurt again. But now it was too late. She'd messed it up. The noise faded around her and colors bled together slightly. _

_The thuds, thumps, and groans echoed around her and her vision tunneled. She backed slowly into the apartment and slid to sit against the wall. She was facing the inside of the apartment now, so she couldn't see the fight. _

_They were going to call he police, she thought absently. Someone in this hall would see an imminent murder and run for the phone. Then the Ministry Aurors would flood in and then the wizarding world would know. Know that Harry and Draco fought, that one of them killed each other, and that Hermione stayed with a man who beat her. Everyone would know that the 'brightest witch' of whatever the hell it was stayed in an abusive relationship. The Prophet would have a field day; call her a scarlet woman, insinuate that she was with Harry behind Draco's back and he'd caught them and that's why all of this happened. And Draco would come away from this smelling like fucking roses and she'd be broken and cast aside and everything would get worse. Her heart constricted painfully._

_She closed her eyes but a second later they were jolted open when she heard the door slam and bolt. _Draco killed Harry._ Forget Aurors coming to find a devastated Hermione and a dead Boy-Who-Just-Couldn't-Live-This-Time; they wouldn't even find Hermione at all. She panicked. He was going to kill her too. Beat her and kill her and-_

"_Hey," Harry's soft voice broke through her erratic thoughts. He was kneeling in front of her, bloodied, swollen face close to her own. "Are you alright?"_

_She stared at him. He was worried about her? When his face was ruined and she could see him grimacing in pain? Did he kill Draco? Where was the body? He wouldn't get in trouble. He was an Auror and Harry Potter and anyone he killed deserved it. But people liked Draco now. Harry would go to Azkaban. He killed Draco Malfoy in front of half a dozen Muggles and a cat-_

"_Hermione?" Harry looked worried. _

"_Where..." she swallowed thickly. "Where is he?" She meant the body of course. They very well couldn't leave a dead wizard in the hallway of a Muggle apartment building. _

"_He left." Harry shifted so he was sitting cross legged in front of Hermione. She watched as he winced. "I told him I was going to arrest him if he didn't get the fuck out of here, and the bastard left."_

_He wasn't dead? Hermione didn't like the feeling of sheer relief that ran through her body, but she attributed it to the fact that Harry wouldn't be going to Azkaban. Hermione didn't speak, just stared at the floor. Harry was silent for a moment too then he spoke again. "You're not going back with him Hermione." His voice was hard. He wanted to arrest the fucking man but he knew that would have brought too much attention. Attention Hermione really couldn't handle. "If I have to put a Tracking Spell on you I will." _

_He was serious and Hermione knew it. Harry would track her to keep her safe. Harry would never ever let her get hurt, would never hurt her. "Hermione are you listening?" Tears formed in her eyes even as she nodded. _

_Harry watched her cry silently for a few seconds before moving closer and gathering her up in his arms, maneuvering so her legs were wrapped around his waist and her face was buried in his chest. "It's okay, baby." He murmured into her wild hair. He rubbed her lower back where the bruise was before he'd healed it."It's okay, you can cry. Even if I don't like it." His heart constricted and his next words came out somewhat choked. "I feel like you've cried too much. More than you should have had to."_

_He felt like shaking her, demanding to know why she hadn't listened to him in the first place. Or if not him, Ron, Ginny, Seamus, Luna, when they first warned her against Malfoy. Everyone tended to listen to Luna lately... He felt like hugging her so tight she melted into him so he could absorb her pain. Instead he squeezed her a little more tightly, rocking side to side, whispering platitudes into her ear; sitting there with her until he felt her body relax into his and her breathing became deeper and steady. When he knew she was asleep, he rose slowly, lacing his hands underneath her to keep her around his body, and walked to the bedroom, where he placed her sleeping body down and covered her with the blanket. _

_Harry watched her for a moment, before carding his fingers through his hair. He sighed and made his way to the bathroom to clean himself up. _

_*_*_*_*_*_

Harry crouched under the window sill with Ron and Luna. Kingsley, Ginny and some Aurors were elsewhere around the dark building. It appeared to be an old factory; the concrete walls were crumbling and the air around the building itself was stifling. It seemed like the perfect place for a renegade group to hide out.

Too perfect.

Cookie cutter.

_Fucking cliché._

"Are you absolutely sure this is the place, Luna."

Luna didn't answer. Just hummed to herself and shuddered a bit in the cold weather. At least Harry thought she shuddered. All three of them were disillusioned, ready and waiting for the signal to go in. Harry harrumphed at Luna's blatant act of ignoring him and looked moodily into the street.

Everything was grey and cold and quiet. Few people had passed by but every time someone did, Harry would tense. Like right now, a man with mousy brown hair and a hooded sweatshirt was ambling by. Harry fingered his wand.

"Seriously, mate," Ron nudged Harry as the man disappeared around the corner, "you need to stop fidgeting. Everything will be fine alright." His voice was falsely positive, but Harry didn't call him out on it as he watched an old woman totter by.

Suddenly a shot of green light flew right over Harry's invisible head and shattered into the concrete wall. "Shit." He whispered furiously. "They knew we were coming. Move." Another jet of light, purple this time barely missed them. Inside of the old factory, they could hear shouts and cries. Harry shot jets of red light into the grey sky and jumped through the window. As he landed a another jet of purple light flew over his head and Harry heard a soft "oh" as Luna was hit.

Inside was pandemonium. About twenty random people were throwing hexes at Kingsley, Seamus, and Bones's teams. Harry heard Ron dart away and he hoped it was back out of the window to see if Luna was okay. Some of the people looked familiar. Harry recognized Theodore Nott and Millicent Bulstrode but most were strangers. Harry, still disillusioned, ran forward, wand drawn, mind whirring. _This was a set up. _He knew it from the moment he'd seen the place. Really? An old factory, with minimal wards and not even a Notice Me Not spell on it. An old factory when most of these people were rolling in Galleons? He cursed again to himself as he stopped Ginny from getting burned by a ball of fire shot which seemed to manifest itself in a man's hand. _Contained Fyiend Fire, _Harry acknowledged in his head before moving forward. He took down a blonde woman who cast Cruico on Charlie. She fell lifeless at his feet, eyes staring into nothing. Harry stepped over her body and was about to make his way over to help Neville when he felt two things; the hot trickling of his disillusionment charm being removed and a blinding pain in his chest as a spell hit him. He fell to his back, gasping for breath. A foot shot out and kicked him in the stomach and he doubled over. Eyes streaming, Harry looked up to see the young man with the mousy brown hair and hooded sweatshirt from earlier looming over him, a hateful sneer on his face. Harry gripped his wand tighter and tried to raise his arm but the man kicked it and stamped on his fingers.

Harry shouted out as the boot ground down on his broken digits. The man kicked him onto his back and landed heavily upon him, one knee pushing into his ribcage. Harry couldn't breathe. He struggled to move but the man just put more weight on his knee. Lights popped his Harry's eyes. The man leaned close and Harry could make out blue eyes full of malice.

The man gripped Harry's hair and wrenched his head forward, causing the bones to shift unpleasantly. His muscles were straining and at this odd angle, breath was getting harder to draw. He felt a wand dig into his Adam's apple and hot breath on his ear. "Where's Granger?" The man whispered malevolently and Harry's eyes shot open. He struggled harder against Draco but to no avail. He just held on harder and laughed quietly as his wand tip dug in deeper. "I would have thought she'd been here. Hoping, really. Miss her, and all that." He smashed Harry's head onto the floor quickly, once, twice, three times. "How is she doing?" Draco asked conversationally was Harry was upright again. Harry felt the wand leave his throat for a moment then heard a scream and someone fall to the ground heavily. The wood came back to his throat. "I told you that day, Potter. I told you I'd kill you one day soon. Its been a little _longer," _he slammed Harry's head one back more time before drawing the limb body close to him again, "than I'd hoped but alas. Here I am." The wand dug in so hard Harry felt the stab through his fog of slight unconsciousness. Draco whispered into his ear, almost like a lover, "_Avada Keda-" _Suddenly his weight was gone from Harry's body. He heard a loud crash, shouts, screams and the frantic voice of Ginny close by. "He's not moving! Harry! What-" she was drowned out by Seamus's "where the _fuck _did he go?!" There were the pops and cracks of Disapparation.

Harry let go, and let blackness envelope him.

**_A/N: Thheeerrreee ya go :) Tell me what you all think! Good, bad, horrid? Let me know. :) _**

**_Now! I'm knackered as all get out. Ta !_**


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